


At His Side

by pairatime



Category: Numb3rs, Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, D/s, M/M, Possessiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 09:27:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2304815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pairatime/pseuds/pairatime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Colby gets message that his boy is on his way to an LA hospital, and nothing else.</p><p>Betaed 10-01-14 by love_vargas</p>
            </blockquote>





	At His Side

**Author's Note:**

> Written for BDSM Fandom's Summer Sizzler Promptathon, summer 14: Numb3rs/Stargate Atlantis; Colby Granger/Evan Lorne; When Evan is returned to Earth due to an injury, his dom Colby finds a way to remind him that it's important that he looks after himself.
> 
> So I hadn’t watched any Numb3rs before this. I’d read a few fics that had Lorne in them but that was it. But something about this prompt just called to me so with some help from I watched the key Colby episodes and well I wrote this.

“Where is he!”

Those were the first words out of Colby Granger’s mouth when he walked through the hospital’s main doors, reaching the front information desk in a handful of steps. The words were directed at the only person staffing the station not speaking over their headphones.

“To whom do you refer and what is your name please?” the man asked, looking up from his computer toward Colby.

“Major Evan Lorne and I’m Agent Colby Granger of the FBI, his Dom and next of kin with medical power of attorney. I just received word he’s here but I wasn’t told anything else,” Granger explained, slipping his sunglasses off as he reached the counter. 

“I’ll need to see-“ the man started to say before cutting off the question as Colby presented his badge and ID, “thank you Sir,” the attendant added, taking it before turning back to his computer.

Colby took a breath, relaxing a bit. Letting out the breath and some of the worry that had been plaguing him since his phone had chimed. Finally knowing he was going to have answers to the questions the text informing him that the watch he had placed on Lorne had gotten a hit. And not the usual flight into LAX either. 

But the moments ticked by. He watched as the man typed into his computer, handing back the badge and ID after having taken a good look at them, but with each click on the receptionist’s keyboard the worry came back. Why was it taking so long to tell him…good or bad he wanted--needed-- to know.

“What is it, what happened?” Colby prodded, leaning over the countertop to try and see the computer’s screen, but unable to really ready anything.

“I’m not sure, Sir,” the man started his answer, frowning at his computer. “We have him listed as an incoming patient, but other than stating an operating room to be readied for him, nothing else is noted. Even for a military file that’s rather odd…they don’t even have a physician on record…”

Colby pulled his lips tight as the man trailed off, typing at the computer, clearly not used to such limited information. “If there isn’t a doctor on the case, who can I talk to for some answers about my sub?” he requested, cutting to the heart of the matter.

“I’m afraid I don’t know…let me call my supervisor,” the receptionist said, tapping his headset while dialing his boss’s number.

“That will not be necessary. Agent Granger, correct?”

Colby turned toward the voice behind him to see an Air Force Major, in his dress uniform, holding his hand out.

“That’s me. You know what the hell is happening with my submissive, Major Davis?” Colby asked, reading the Major’s name from his uniform while taking his hand.

“That’s why I’m here, Agent Granger. If you’ll follow me I’ve already arranged for you to wait in Major Lorne’s room so that you will be there once he’s out of recovery, I can explain more there,” Major Davis stated, giving the room a pointed look before gesturing toward the elevator bank along the far side of the lobby’s wall.

The ride up to the seventh floor was quiet and Colby used to time to study the Major. He was about the same height as Lorne and himself, his dress blues were pressed and starched until it was so straight it was a wonder he could walk in them. Just like the man’s posture and Colby almost wanted to dismiss him as a desk jockey and protocol officer, like the ones who made his unit count and recount their gear and sweep the floor twenty times a day because there might be sand on it. The bane of real soldiers everywhere, only he couldn’t.

The ribbons on the major’s chest stopped him. Davis didn’t have as many as _his_ Major but he did have some of the same ones…the ones that Lorne wouldn’t, couldn’t, tell him about. Ones even the internet didn’t seem to know what they really meant. Just how does someone earn a metal for Deep-space telemetry, let alone six different ones? All while not knowing anything about math beyond algebra?

Major Davis had to be in the same command as Lorne. Which meant he likely knew the full classified story of what happened to his man.

“Okay, we’re alone. Now tell me what the hell is going on with Evan, starting with is he going to make it and ending with is whoever did it dead,” Colby demanded the moments the door to the private room shut.

“The Major’s life and heath are not in any danger. His injuries were mostly minor and were taken care of back at his base. They are not the problem,” Major Davis paused, seeming to think for a moment before going on, “the details of what happened are classified well beyond your clearance-“

“I understand the need for secrets, I’ve kept my own share of them from Evan--from everyone--for years, Major, but right now he’s in surgery and I will be told why. Am I clear?” Colby stated, his voice flat and level, stepping closer until he was standing less than a foot from the Major, unblinking.

Davis looked away, taking a breath before answering, “Major Lorne and his team were captured. They were rescued within hours but not before his capturer had implanted the Major with something that created an… ‘infection’. The ‘infection’ posses no risk to the Major’s health, long or short term, but it did pose a problem for the base itself and he had to be removed at once. From both from his primary base and our Ear- I mean that is our Stateside base. Which is why he was taken here to have the implant removed,” the major finished explaining.

“An ‘infection’? And it’s not going to hurt Evan but his base?” Colby repeated, the disbelief clear while his gaze never left the Major.

“I understand how it sounds but you have my word it’s as honest and accurate a version as I can give. Any other version, no matter how modified, that carries any clearer meaning would be classified over your level, Agent,” Davis said, frowning.

Colby said nothing for a long moment then he nodded, stepping away from the Major toward the windows that overlooked the city. “What’s his recovery time, how long before he goes back?” he asked.

“Recovery from the surgery and his injuries should be a week, but the other matter, the ‘infection’,” another pause, “as of an hour ago they didn’t know. It is our hope that the ‘infection’ doesn’t last without the implant but there is some concern that it will. That it might be permanent.”

“Permanent?” Colby echoed, turning back toward Major Davis, his mind racing through what that meant. “You said he can’t be at his base if he has this ‘infection’ or even the connected base? Is he still going to be SGC?” Colby asked. He might not like only seeing his sub a few times a year, only being able to talk over e-mails but he knew how much his current assignment meant to his boy too. To lose that....

“If it is permanent…with his skills and experiences he’ll have a number of choices open to him,” was the only answer the Major had to give.

“You know, I never understood why people always said it’s hard to have a military sub. I always thought it was because they didn’t get them, maybe it was because they weren’t military themselves. But that’s not it. It’s the knowing you can’t protect them.” Colby let out a breath and leaned against the window shutting his eyes. “Part of being a dom is protecting your sub but how do you protect them when keeping their bodies safe means one thing but keeping their minds and hearts safe means the exact opposite? When wanting them by your side means keeping them from what they love. How do you keep them out of danger when doing that strips away who they are?” he asked, knowing there wasn’t an answer.

“I don’t know but-“

Anything else the Major had planned on saying was cut short when the doors opened and Lorne was wheeled in on a gurney.

Everything stopped when Colby saw his submissive for the first time in almost four months.

Lorne was sleeping, looking peaceful and Colby relaxed, then he saw the skin tone butterfly bandages over his left eyebrow, the dark blue sling that held his right arm, over a dozen other scrapes and marks, cleaned, cared for and treated but still there.

With a single stride Colby was at Evan’s side, slipping his hand into his submissive’s, feeling the warmth of his man’s hand in his, safe, alive. “How is he?” Colby asked the longhaired women that had followed the Lorne’s gurney into the room.

“Are you family?” she asked first, flipping the chart in her hand to the front page.

“Colby Granger, I’m his Dominant,” Colby supplied at once, slowly rubbing circles on the back of Evan’s hand with this thumb. “And I should be listed as his next of kin.”

“Yes, Agent Granger, you are listed as such,” the Doctor said looking at the chart for a moment then back up at Colby, holding out her hand. “I’m Doctor Carolyn Lam. I am with the SGC so I knew the full details of the Major’s condition before I operated. As far as the procedure itself goes, beyond saying that the operation went well, with no complication and none expected, I can’t tell you anything-”

“Doctor Lam-“ Colby began.

“Now, about the rest of his medical condition, I can give you more details,” Doctor Lam continued smoothly, as if Colby had not tried to speak. “The most severe injury is his right arm. The bone and muscle were heavily bruised and while the arm was not dislocated, the joint was stressed. The arm should be kept in the sling and not used for at least 5-10 days. All the other injuries are minor lacerations and abrasions, all of which have been treated and should be just fine with time. Which shouldn’t be a problem as he should be resting and taking it easy for at least a week to let his body recover from the surgeries and for his arm to heal,” Doctor Lam finished explaining, hooking the chart into Evan’s bed once she was done. 

“He’ll be okay then,” Colby confirmed, looking back down at his submissive, running his hand through Evan’s dark hair, letting the locks slip through his fingers slowly. “What about his head injury? Any risk of a concussion?” Colby asked, looking back toward the Doctor.

“No, he was cleared before he was put under anesthesia. Which he should be waking up from any time in the next hour or so but he will likely sleep through most of the night before he’s fully conscious,” Doctor Lam answered.

“How long till I can take him home? He is on medical leave, right?” Colby questioned, turning toward Major Davis for the first time since Lorne had been wheeled into the room.

“Yes he is. He’s clear for two weeks, longer if needed,” the Major explained.

“Good, good, and I can take him home?” Colby repeated, glancing at Doctor Lam before returning his eyes to Evan.

“If there are no problems overnight then you can take him home in the morning,” the Doctor told him. “If you have any other questions-“

“I have plenty of questions but I don’t think I’m cleared for any of the answers. So, no questions. I’m good,” Colby told them, running his hand through Evan’s hair again.

***

Almost an hour later Colby was still sitting at his submissive’s side, tapping away at his phone getting some of his paperwork done, when he heard--felt--Evan shifting beside him.

Colby watched as Evan’s blue eyes slowly flickered open. They looked blurry and unfocused, worried and confused. The Major started moving and moving around on the gurney, shuffling a bit too much given all the tube and cords coming off him.

“Take it easy there my own, shush. You’re safe and I’m right here,” Colby told his man, standing and leaning forward so Evan could see him better while running his hand through Evan’s hair, “Your good, yeah just relax for me.”

“Sir? Where? This isn’t…Earth right, I had to, Granger?,” Evan mumbled, pressing his head into Colby’s hand even as his eyes, the worry and confusion fading, closed again, his uninjured hand finding Colby’s own where it was resting on Evan’s hip. “Master,” he whispered again as he relaxed into it, a smile playing on his lips.

“I’m right here, just worry about resting and getting better, those are your orders right now, got it, Evan,” Colby commanded his submissive with a grin of his own.

Colby didn’t hear the ‘yes sir’ but he saw Evan’s lips move. He kept smiling, giving his submissive a kiss on the forehead before reaching for the lightly soaked popsicle sponges they had given him to help keep his man’s lips wet.

The next few hours passed much the same, Lorne waking for brief moments, just long enough for a word or two, long enough for Colby to see that his own was okay, before slipping back into sleep.

But sometime around three Colby knew he must have lost his own battle to stay awake.

Which meant his back was going to hate him for the next month, Colby thought as he straighten up in the chair, working out the kinks and knots the chair, comfortable enough for sitting but not for anything else, had put into his back and side.

“Morning, Sir,” Evan’s voice, strong and solid, made Colby smile through his discomfort.

“You’re awake, and how is my Evan going?” Colby asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes before taking a critical look at his submissive.

His color was good, his cuts and scrapes looked better than the night before and he was still in his sling, they also seemed to have removed a couple of the IVs and other wires.

And Evan was eating from a tray someone must have dropped off not long before. Colby grabbed the slice of toast with grape jelly on it as his submissive started talking.

“I’m feeling a lot better than yesterday, I feel awake. I haven’t felt like I was really awake sense the mission. It’s all been a blur…I thought I had dreamed you last right, Sir. Then I saw you next to me this morning,” Evan finished with a smile.

Colby grinned, lightly ruffling Evan’s hair before turning more serious.

“How’ the arm feeling? And your chest?” Colby asked more directly, looking between, the blue sling, the thin surgical scar from the implants’ removal and Evan’s face.

“My chest is tight, Sir, and itches. My arm is fine. I don’t even know why they gave me a sling, I don’t need it,” Evan answered, moving his right arm around as proof that it was fine.

“Uh huh, and how many times have you tried to take it off and been stopped already this morning?” Colby asked, finishing the last couple of bites of the toast.

Evan was quiet for a long beat, until Colby raised an eyebrow. “Twice. The nurse came in twice to put it back on,” he finally answered.

“It stays on until either I take it off or a doc does,” Colby ordered. Slipping his toast and jelly coated thumb into Evan’s mouth when his man went to answer, and argue, “lick’em.” he commanded.

Colby smiled at the sight before him as Evan slowly worked his mouth around Colby’s thumb, sucking on it while his tongue pressed over and taste every inch of it. Once it was done he slipped it out and his index finger in, replacing it to watch the events repeat themselves. At which point he pulled it out and ruffles Evan’s hair. “That’s my good major,” he added with a grin.

“Yes Sir,” Evan said back with a smile of his own. “And you know I hate grape, Sir.”

Colby just smiled at the comment.

“Has the doc been by this morning, Evan?” Colby questioned, standing and stretching out his arms and legs, rotating his neck a bit as he did so.

“An intern stopped by about an hour ago, she was the one that cleared me to get the chow, Sir. She said the doc would be in before too long,” Evan told his Dom with a shrug, which had him wincing.

Colby reached out and rubbed the back of Evan’s neck. “No shrugging for a bit it looks like. And the doc will get here when she gets here. For all their schooling I don’t think they ever really learn what words like soon, few minutes, or before too long, actually mean,” he said with smile.

Evan gave a half chuckle, leaning into Colby’s hand. “Maybe they need one more class,” he quipped.

“Maybe they do,” Colby agreed. “But they aren’t really my concern, you are and you need something, a couple somethings in fact,” the dom said reaching for a good sized opaque plastic bag with Major Lorne stamped on the top that had been resting next to Colby’s work bag on the floor.

“Sir?” Evan asked confused until the bag came into view. “Thank god, I’ve felt almost naked without my tags.”

“I remember the feeling well. It’s taken me years to get used to it again and sometimes I still feel weird when they’re suddenly not there,” Colby related with a smile. He reaching into the bag, ignoring the wallet, keys and other personal effects in favor of the string of metal beads that had found its way to the bottom. 

“Freeze, Evan,” Colby ordered, only half looking at his submissive as he pulled the chain. He took a second to look over the three tags before looking up and directly at Evan’s right hand which was reaching out toward the bag and dog tags. “Put the arm back down. Am I going to need to put you in bondage to keep you from using it? Because I’m sure I can find something to tie you up with.” he remarked, his tone playful but his gaze stern.

“Your call, Sir,” Evan answered quickly. 

Colby smirked at the tone of Evan’s voice--just a pitch lower then normal with hints of lust and want--and the way Evan shifted on the bed. It all made it clear what his sub really though of the idea. “Might wait until we get home, then I can do something that will last. But first,” he answered, reaching forward and placing the chain over Evan’s neck. He slid his fingers down the small spheres until they reached the tags. He slowly rubbed this thumb over his own tag, nestled between two of Evan’s. “That’s better,” he said.

“At least until I get home to my collar, Master,” Evan added.

Without letting go of the tags, Colby grabbed his submissive by the back of the neck, pulling him closer until their lips met. He held him there, kissing and re-kissing, plundering and feeling Evan’s mouth while his man did the same.

They were stopped a bit later by a faux-cough coming from the doorway. Colby slowly finished the kiss and drew back, pulling on Evan’s lips as he did so, smirking at his Evan’s eyes, blown wide from lust, and cheeks, flushed red for the same reason, imaging he looked much the same. “Yes?” he asked at last, turning toward the one who had interrupted them, a doctor by the looks of it.

“Agent Granger, Major Lorne, I’m Doctor Washington,” the doctor said by way of greeting as he walked over and checked Evan’s chart. “The Major’s blood work and other labs have come back and everything is as expected. I just need to check a few things…may I?” the doctor asked Colby once he reached the bedside.

“Of course,” Colby answered, leaning back to give the man room to do his job, but not before sliding his hand into Evan’s left hand.

Colby watched as the doctor checked over his submissive. Feeling his neck, inspecting his arm, his mouth and throat, even his eyes, those were saved for last. But after about ten minutes the doctor announced him all clear. “I’ll send someone in to help unhook the last of the IVs and monitors and you are good to go Major. You need to be back in here next week for a check up, make sure your arm is healing but otherwise…. Don’t use the arm unless you have to and enjoy your leave.” He finished.

“I plan on it Doctor,” Evan said back with a grin, glancing at his dom.

“What happened to Doctor Lam? I though she was Evan’s doctor?” Colby asked.

“Doctor Lam isn’t a regular staff member here. She was just here for the operation. She did say she would be back next week for your submissive’s check up and she left a call number, it will be with your discharge papers, Agent,” Doctor Washington explained.

“Good. Sounds like I can take my Major here home, now,” Colby said with a smile, wrapping an arm around Evan’s shoulders and pulling them closer together. “Right,” he confirmed, grinning wider when the doctor nodded.

***

Evan’s whole body changed the moment Colby clicked shut the lock on his collar.

Colby smirked to himself, feeling Evan’s muscle uncoil, lose their tension even as he let out a content sigh. Colby ruffled the hair of his man’s bowed head before pulling him back up to his feet. “Come on, boy, let’s get you changed before anyone sees you,” Colby added, pulling at the front of Evan’s ABUs, leading him toward the bedroom.

“That is one of the dumbest rules the Pentagon has ever had, sir,” Evan complained, happily following his dom.

“If they didn’t they’d have problems with dumbasses ignoring your oak leaves because of your collar,” Colby reminded his sub, stopping him once they were in the middle of the bedroom. “Now hold your arm as still as you can,” he ordered, slowly working to take off the sling.

“Yes, Master,” Evan said as he complied, keeping his arm as steady as he could as the sling was removed. “You should still have been able to put my collar on right there in the hospital, Master,” he added as Colby took his arm and gradually straightened it, pausing when Evan winced.

“If I had been willing to leave long enough to get you some clothes I could have, boy. And you’re wearing it now and will be for the next week or two straight.” Colby grinned at the thought of keeping his boy that long while he stripped him, one article of his uniform at a time, starting with his blouse, before working his way down.

 

“Yes, Master.” Evan grinned in response, twisting his neck just enough to feel his skin pinch around the firm leather, grinning even more. “Feels good to be wearing it again.”

Colby kept up his grin as he pulled his boy’s belt off him then ordered him to remove his boots, pants and finally, slowly, pulled his shirt over his head and then down his arms. He then stepped back to inspect his boy, slowly circling him.

“ATTENTION,” Colby bellowed moments later after completing his second rotation around his boy.

Evan snapped to, his back straightening, his kneels and elbows locking, his eyes locked straight ahead without making a sound.

With a smile on his lips Colby kept walking around his boy, reaching out and touching him, lightly. Skimming his skin just enough so he knew Evan could feel it but not heavy enough to be true contact.

“Now boy, I understand you got yourself injured again. Is this true, Evan?” Colby asked, his touches becoming more solid, resting his hand on his submissive’s body and feeling the compact warm muscles under his palm.

“Yes, Sir. I have reported to the infirmly seven times since my last full report, Sir,” Evan informed his Master.

“And how many of those times were due to enemy action of which you had no or limited control over,” Colby continued his questioning.

“Five time, Sir,” came Evan’s prompt response.

Colby took a few minutes to study his boy’s body. He had already located one scar on his boy’s hip that while healed was new since the last time he had explored his boy’s body. But he couldn’t locate any others, yet. “And the other two, what were they, boy?”

“One was an electrical burn during a trainer exercise and the other was a heavy sunburn during a mission Sir,” Evan answered, his eyes never moving.

“A sunburn, did they not give you sunscreen or did you not use it, boy?” Colby asked, surprised at the injury.

“The mission ran long and our supplies ran out, Sir,” Evan told his Master.

Colby pressed his lips together, imagining Evan and his men baking under the Middle Eastern sun before moving on. “And the electrical burn?” he questioned, moving on with the report.

“Equipment being tested did not work as hoped, anything more is classified, Sir,” Evan answered.

Nodding his head Colby kept walking, they rarely made it through this part of the report without that word being used, he’d become used to it. And he remembered how field testing went. He opened his mouth to move on to the next part of the report when he spotted the tremble in his boy’s leg.

It was slight and stopped as soon as it began but it told Colby what he needed to know. His boy was reaching his limit. Time to move this forward. “On the bed, face up, now, boy,” he ordered, keeping his expression blank at the surprised, and very brief, glance his boy sent his way while complying and stretching out on the bed.

Taking a few steps toward the bed himself, Colby let his gaze slowly drift up his boy, bare save for the collar around the man’s neck.

Sitting down on the queen-sized bed next to his boy Colby laid his hand on Evan’s left foot, running his palm up past the ankle to over the knee. Feeling his boy under him again. “Who does this leg belong to?” His voice was quite, soft, very unlike his grip which tightened, feeling the firm muscles under him.

“You, Sir, it’s yours,” Evan answered, his breath catching as his Master reached his knee, pressing into the soft joint. “Yours,” he added again.

With a barley suppressed smirk Colby reached over and took hold of his boy’s right thigh, curving his fingers around the thick muscle as much as he could. “And this one? Who does this belong to?” he asked again.

“Also yours, sir,” came the answer promptly.

“Good boy.” Colby grinned, jumping the rest of the way into the bed, throwing his leg over Evan so he was straddling his boy’s legs, restraining them.

Leaning forward he ran his hands, fingers spread, across Evan’s chest. “And who owns all this? Your abs,” a light kiss where stomach meets chest, “your chest,” teeth biting into Evan’s nipples, drawing out a long slow hiss, “your shoulders, your back,” hands slipping around Evan’s sides and between the sheets and the submissive back, “who’s owns it?” Colby asked, his voice mild and calm, his eyes never leaving Evan’s.

“Yours, Master, they belong to you,” Evan’s answered, his voice getting deeper and deeper as he tried to buck his hips, his groin, into his owner’s groin.

With a light chuckle Colby clamped his knees, forcing Evan’s legs together and on the bed, “and your arms?” he asked softly, lightly bringing up Evan’s injured hand, being careful to support it. “Is this mine too?” he asked, lightly kisses the knuckles.

Evan’s breath was coming faster now. “Yes, Sir, it’s all yours, Sir,” he said.

“Mine,” Colby declared, gingerly lowering the arm before running his hands back up Evan’s chest to his neck, lowering himself until he was laying over Evan, giving Evan a peck on the lips he spoke again. “This is all mine, understand, boy? Mine,” Colby repeated, cupping his boy’s head. “Mine.”

“Yours, Sir, always yours, please, sir, can I please,” Evan asked, his voice still too even and steady for it to be called begging.

“My body, my boy, mine,” Colby said with a smirk, deliberately not acknowledging the request. “And how are you to treat it Evan?”

“Sir,” Evan’s voice filling with want, letting out a deep breathe, “with care, respect. Take care,” another deep breath, “for you Sir.”

“Good boy, this body-- you-- mean a lot to me,” Colby said, grinning as he kisses his boy, starting at the jaw and working down to the neck, between a each word. “Now when did you come last?” he asked, started to grind his jean clad hips over Evan’s naked cock.

“Two weeks ago, Wednesday Sir,” Evan panted out, trying to grind back, letting out a lightest of a whimper.

“Not long…but you’re a good boy…,” Colby says into running his teeth along Evan’s neck.

Without thought his boy leaned back, exposing his neck. Colby grinned. “Come my own, come now,” he ordered, thrusting a hand between them, stroking his boy’s cock and grinding it with his own groin, “mine” he growled one last time before sinking his teeth into his subs neck.

Colby didn’t fully let go until he felt his boy’s body completely relax under him, spent and empty. “That’s my good boy,” he praised, licking and kissing at the red marks he left on his boy’s neck.

“Th-ank…you…Sir,” Evan smiled back, nuzzling toward his owner.

Running a hand through Evan’s hair, he kissed his boy again, this time on the lips, watching his boy’s eyes struggling to stay open before giving in. That’s when he reached over for the sling. “Shh no,” he shushed Evan when his boy started making noises as he went to put the sling back on. “You will wear it, now sleep,” he ordered patting the blue cloth once it was on.

“Sir,” the whimpered request was almost too quiet to hear, but Colby didn’t miss the hand and reached out for him.

“I’m right here, boy,” Colby answered, letting himself settle in, resting on Evan beneath him. “Mine,” he whispered one last time.

***

The white-gray puff of smoke held its mostly round shape, hanging in the air, joining the others that were slowly dissipated until the briefest breezes rolled by his building, scattering the clouds.

Colby watched them vanish, setting aside his cigar in favor of the tumbler and its amber liquid, a smile still on his face.

The sun was high in the sky and Colby was enjoying it’s warmth on his skin, which is why he didn’t hear his boy until the screen door slid open behind him.

“Sir?” Evan’s voice was low, testing to see if Colby was awake.

Smiling at the gesture Colby waved his submissive forward, patting the side of his thigh once he heard Evan’s feet shuffling right behind him. “How you feeling, boy?” he asked while his boy settled into the mat next to his chair.

“Better now,” Evan answered, resting his head on his Master’s lap, his good arm wrapping around Colby’s leg.

“That’s good, now how about the rest of it,” Colby ordered, his free hand finding it’s way to Evan’s buzzed head, lightly running over it.

Evan sighed before answering more honestly. “My whole body is still a bit achy and I think the meds are wearing off because my arm is starting to feel like it was trampled by a team of elephants…and I’m tired still,” he said, snuggling his head into Colby’s leg. “Sorry for falling asleep, Sir,” he apologized.

“It’s fine, boy, I was expecting it,” Colby told his boy. “Just like I was expecting your meds to be wearing off,” he told his boy, reaching over for a couple of pills and a glass of water he had set near by, handing them to Evan. “Drink up.”

“Yes, Sir,” Evan answered, taking the pill and water before returning his head to his Dom’s lap, then looking up at Colby. “Why aren’t you at working Sir? You couldn’t have gotten vacation time this quickly…how long was I out?”

Colby ruffles his hair. “You’ve been stateside for about 36-48 hours now, boy, you didn’t sleep a week away or anything,” he assured his boy, “And I took an emergency personal day, we didn’t have any major cases so Don let me. I’ll have to go in and do up some paperwork that’s due later today but for now it’s just you and me for a few more hours.” he answered Evan.

Evan didn’t say anything in return for a few minutes, merely rested there, feeling his Master’s hand resting on the back of his head and neck. “I’ve missed this,” he whispered when he did finally speak.

“So have I, boy, so have I. But you’re hear now,” Colby answered after taking another puff on his cigar. “Right where you belong.”

“I just wish…sometimes…that I never knew…if I never saw the City…I could…have…just…” Evan’s voice trailed off, the pause between words growing longer and longer.

Looking down Colby smiled as he felt his boy growing heavier and heavier on his leg, his voice fading more and more until he had been replaced by slow and steady breathing.

His boy sleeping beside him, wounded but safe, with a good cigar and fine bourbon. Yeah he could get used to this.

For a little while at least.


End file.
